Just Sleep
by fairytaleslayer
Summary: Emma goes up alone against Elsa's latest accident, and needs a small bit of help from Killian after.


**A/N: Short little one-shot inspired by the fan art by kai-mb on Tumblr.**

**Hopefully it's okay that I borrowed it!**

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Just Sleep

"Swan!" Killian cried out in a panic. "Swan, you have to let it go right now!"

Emma didn't turn from where she was holding back a massive winter storm caused by Elsa with the largest shield she had ever attempted. She and Killian had gone to the well outside of town when ominous clouds began forming in the sky in the middle of June, signaling the approach of a torrential storm. Emma had set out alone, but Killian had followed her, like he always did whether she wanted him to or not. _Honestly, she was the Savior and the Sheriff. She could check out the latest threat to their safety on her own_, she had thought, but now she was glad he was with her.

"I can't take the shield down!" she shouted over her shoulder. "This storm will decimate Storybrooke!"

Killian could barely hear Emma's response, but he could see the exhaustion settling in over her shoulders at her continued magical expenditure. "Swan, it's going to kill you! We need to get help, you can't stop this alone!" he tried again to make her listen.

"Watch me," Emma growled. Normally, she wouldn't have tried to do this by herself as she was still learning to control her powers fully since getting them back. But Regina had been seen by no one but Henry for days, choosing to remain holed up in her mansion, refusing to speak with anyone, especially Robin and Emma. And since meeting the real Dark One, Emma had stayed as far from Mr. Gold as she could. She had thought Gold was unnerving, but Rumpelstiltskin was downright terrifying.

But right now, the ice storm that Elsa had accidentally conjured was bearing down on her magical wall, battering against it and her senses. It's strength was causing her vision to darken, her ears to ring. She could barely hear Killian's frightened pleading for her to let her shield down. But she could also feel the storm abating slightly over time. _Maybe Elsa's calming down_, she hoped. She didn't know how much longer, despite her insistence, she could actually keep her shield up.

When he saw her begin to sway, Killian rushed to grab Emma around the shoulders before her knees could give out. He could feel her heart beating dangerously fast, and the white mist almost invisible against the ice storm was beginning to flicker. He cursed, hoping Emma could hold out, because she was right. If she couldn't keep this storm back, then there wouldn't be much of Storybrooke left to go back to.

But all of a sudden, the tempest lost most of its force, reduced to a much smaller snowfall. _That Elsa girl must have finally regained control. _But Emma didn't appear to have noticed. Killian looked down at her, and he could see her eyes closed, her body still tense, not knowing that the storm had finally calmed. "Swan," he shook her a little, but got no response. "Emma," he said a little more urgently, relieved when she stirred that time. "Look, Emma," he said, smiling. "You did it. You can let go, now."

Emma looked up blearily, and sighed with relief when she was able to let go of her magic. She was exhausted. "And you said I couldn't," she tried to tease Killian.

"Never doubted you Swan, just didn't want you to die trying. I've lived enough of my life without you, I would like to be through with that experience," he replied lightly, but with a serious look in his eyes.

Emma snuggled her face into his neck, aching for the warmth he always seemed to radiate, cold to the bone. "Sorry," she muttered.

"You wouldn't be Emma if you didn't save everyone," Killian said, sounding a little happier. "Just next time, allow me to call for backup? Or at least go up against something I can fight as well?"

"I'll think about it, but right now I'm too tired," Emma promised with a smile.

"Well then, let's get the lady to bed." Emma yelped as Killian slung her across his back with his arms cradling her legs, placing her arms around his neck and allowing her to lean into him.

"Killian!" she protested. "I can walk back to town on my own!"

"If you are too exhausted to think, then you are too exhausted to walk, and therefore I shall assist in whatever means necessary," Killian replied, beginning the hike through the snow back to town.

Emma groaned. "This is so humiliating," she muttered into his shoulder, but he could feel her smile as she relaxed against him.

"Yes, normally I'd prefer to be in your position, but I suppose this will do," he teased. When he got no response to his casual remark, he looked back at Emma. Her hands had loosened their hold around his neck, her head resting against his, and her eyes were closed. She had fallen asleep. Killian smiled gently and walked through the woods more carefully, keeping an eye out for any obstacles in his path so as not to jostle her.

Half an hour later, when he walked into Granny's, Emma still on his back, David and Mary Margaret got up immediately, worried.

"What happened? We saw the storm, is Emma alright?" Mary Margaret asked frantically.

"Swan is just fine," Killian assured the mother. "Just a little tired from halting Elsa's newest panic attack. I'll put her in one of Granny's beds for the night. She can go home when she wakes up."

A hand on his arm temporarily stopped him. "Thanks, Hook," David said. "For bringing Emma back."

Killian nodded. "Always, mate." He made his way up the stairs and into the first room he got to. He carried Emma over to the bed and tried to set her down gently without waking her. But despite his care, Emma stirred when she hit the mattress.

"Killian," she said quietly.

"Shh, love," he soothed her. "You're fine. Everyone's safe, just sleep." She sagged into the bed. He carefully covered her and moved away, but her hand grabbing his stopped him.

"Stay," she muttered, half into the pillow.

Killian briefly hesitated before dropping his snow covered coat to the floor and going around the end of the bed to slide in behind her. Emma rolled over and snuggled into his chest, breath deepening as she fell back asleep. Killian wrapped an arm around her and held her close as he repeated what he had said to her father downstairs into her hair.

"Always."


End file.
